Will moving sand into a new tank restart a cycle?

JJ650 · 03/06/2014, 09:22 PM

I have modded an identical tank to the one I have (Cadlight 8G) and completely removed the back acrylic wall that normally hides a refugium and filter media. I am using a canister filter so the loss of that back wall is no biggie. Removing that wall gives me a good 4-5" additional tank width. The live rock I have is a single 10lb rock that has NO wiggle room in the stock tank. Removing that panel gives me a good bit of room to maneuver other things around. I have enough sand to do it...BUT would moving that sand bed now start another cycle?

This tank is 3 weeks old and the cycle has really just ended. Rock and sand are from Tampa Bay Saltwater.

By the way:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: negligible (less than 5ppm)

Happy tank....do I want to screw with it by moving sand?

cnreef · 03/07/2014, 05:24 AM

Most people say don't move sand beds but yours is so new I'm not sure if that general consensus applies... I would probably just play it safe and use new sand, unless someone else replies differently.

ca1ore · 03/07/2014, 07:15 AM

Once a tank is cycled, it is cycled. What moving anything around does, whether sand or rock, is to disturb built up organics and potentially overwhelm the capacity of the biological filter, thus the possibility of some ammonia. If the tank is new, there won't be large amounts of those organics so the likelihood of some transient ammonia is pretty low.

FWIW, it is this same phenomenon which instructs us to add new fish to our tanks slowly - gives the biofilter the chance to 'catch up' to the higher bioload.

JJ650 · 03/07/2014, 07:45 AM

Thanks everyone. I'll start a fresh sand bad.

leveldrummer · 03/07/2014, 07:51 AM

Just use the sand, it hasnt have enough time for left over food and detritus to build up and cause any issues. You might see a bit of a cycle again, but so what. If you put new sand in you will likely see a mini cycle again too.

alf1096 · 03/07/2014, 08:39 AM

Use the sand monitor for 2 weeks if no spike carry on.

03/06/2014, 09:22 PM	#1
JJ650 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Fort Mill, SC Posts: 242	Will moving sand into a new tank restart a cycle? I have modded an identical tank to the one I have (Cadlight 8G) and completely removed the back acrylic wall that normally hides a refugium and filter media. I am using a canister filter so the loss of that back wall is no biggie. Removing that wall gives me a good 4-5" additional tank width. The live rock I have is a single 10lb rock that has NO wiggle room in the stock tank. Removing that panel gives me a good bit of room to maneuver other things around. I have enough sand to do it...BUT would moving that sand bed now start another cycle? This tank is 3 weeks old and the cycle has really just ended. Rock and sand are from Tampa Bay Saltwater. By the way: Ammonia: 0 Nitrite: 0 Nitrate: negligible (less than 5ppm) Happy tank....do I want to screw with it by moving sand?

03/07/2014, 07:15 AM	#3
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	Once a tank is cycled, it is cycled. What moving anything around does, whether sand or rock, is to disturb built up organics and potentially overwhelm the capacity of the biological filter, thus the possibility of some ammonia. If the tank is new, there won't be large amounts of those organics so the likelihood of some transient ammonia is pretty low. FWIW, it is this same phenomenon which instructs us to add new fish to our tanks slowly - gives the biofilter the chance to 'catch up' to the higher bioload. __________________ Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs

03/07/2014, 08:39 AM	#6
alf1096 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 399	Use the sand monitor for 2 weeks if no spike carry on. __________________ 125 gal DT with 30 Sump, ReefBreeders LEDs, Mixed Reef

03/07/2014, 05:24 AM	#2
cnreef Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Florida Posts: 398	Most people say don't move sand beds but yours is so new I'm not sure if that general consensus applies... I would probably just play it safe and use new sand, unless someone else replies differently.

03/07/2014, 07:45 AM	#4
JJ650 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Fort Mill, SC Posts: 242	Thanks everyone. I'll start a fresh sand bad.

03/07/2014, 07:51 AM	#5
leveldrummer Reefer Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Atlanta Posts: 1,831	Just use the sand, it hasnt have enough time for left over food and detritus to build up and cause any issues. You might see a bit of a cycle again, but so what. If you put new sand in you will likely see a mini cycle again too.